Achacho! Ippidiyellam Vera Nadakkiradha..kadavule!

Life teaches you so many things with each experience.Never having to venture out alone until then, have been commuting by auto regularly now for the past 2 years or so due to work elsewhere. Came across many types of auto drivers from being focused on the job to socializing , even having a cup of coffee after dropping me home.Yesterday's was an unique experience, which I will never forget my whole life.

While returning, as soon as I signed the auto driver to stop , he asked the place to be dropped and fixed Rs.120 as fare, which I agreed to, being very tired after a hectic session and eager to reach home. He tried to converse about the weather etc, which was not surprising, due to the prevailing conditions now here in Chennai.

As I neared home, I started readying myself, as usual, getting the exact amount in hand, so that I can dispose him off the moment I reached the gate. Suddenly he noticed this and dissuaded me from doing it saying ''ஆட்டோ வில காசு எடுக்காதிங்கம்மா".....and went on to mention that motorcycle riding thieves snatch bags etc from auto commuters under such circumstances. Then I noticed that his rear view mirror had been positioned in such a way that he could see the passengers' hands. He was also in so many words comforting me saying that he could give change without difficulty and my not bothering about having exact change. I had almost decided to change a bigger denomination note, facing such difficulties often. But my urge to get into the house overpowered and also something strange when you feel something not normal.

We reached my gate and I had the amount ready Rs.100+ 2 twenty rupee notes which I gave him from my seat itself which proved to be a blunder or is it?I gathered my bags to get up, when he had got down from the auto and standing, coolely asked me, what was the agreed fare. Even without seeing the notes in his hand, I replied that it was 120 and that was what I gav....wait...when my eyes dropped to his hand. Viola! He had 3 ten rupee notes in his hand, since during his act of getting down he had switched the 100 rupee note to a ten. I told him the truth but he was insistant.Not wanting to argue with such a mean person, I gave him another 100 rupee note and went off. He was still mumbling something like," ozhaichcha kaase nikkamattengudhu...aduththavanga kasu namakku edhukku?' etc etc and the auto moved off.

For more than an hour I could not contain my surprise and horror over the ways these con-men plan and execute these types of thieving. I don't know whether anything like this had happened to others earlier, but I was determined to share this with socially .